Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations he has received on the treatment of (a) widowers and (b) widows under the Teachers' Pension scheme since the changes were made to that scheme in April 2018.

Changes were introduced to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme in April 2018 to allow for the equalisation of survivor benefits for widows. This Scheme followed the Supreme Court’s determination in the case of Walker v Innospec Limited in 2017.

Since then, the Department has received two representations from scheme members, regarding equalisation for widowers of opposite sex marriages.